(Photo Courtesy of North Carolina Athletics)

The North Carolina Tar Heels earned a bounce-back win on Wednesday afternoon, taking down the Brown Bears 14-11 at home. The win came just four days after the Tar Heels’ blowout 20-8 home loss against Ohio State.

After going just 29% as a team at the faceoff dot in their last outing, the script was flipped on Wednesday as the Tar Heels went 21-for-28 (75%) against the Bears. Zac Tucci served as the Tar Heels’ main option, going 18-for-24 (75%). Andrew Tyeryar also saw action, going 3-for-4 (75%).

In cage, Colin Kreig made 17 saves with a 60% save percentage. That after making 15 saves with a 42% save percentage last time out.

The flipping of the script in the cage and at the faceoff dot helped the Tar Heels stay in front of a Brown team that never allowed Carolina to get too much momentum at all, being right on their heels for much of the game.

It was a pair of man-up goals from Cole Herbert late in the fourth that helped the Tar Heels take control of the game. Jacob Kelly assisted on both scores before putting in one of his own on an open net with under a minute to go to seal the deal.

That late-game run was the second three-goal stretch the Tar Heels had been able to put together in the second half. The other also came late in the third and lasted through early in the fourth as goals from Herbert, Chris Gray, and Kelly pushed the Tar Heels ahead 9-11 with 11:57 in the final stanza.

Herbert had four goals in the game while Kelly tallied eight points off three goals and five assists. Gray ended the day with two goals and three assists for five points.

Goals from Devon McLane and Topher Bligh kept Brown alive late, knotting things up at 11 with 10:50 left before the Tar Heels’ game-winning run. It marked the fifth time the Bears had tied things up in the game, also doing so at the end of the first quarter, early in the second and heading into the half, and early in the third.

Brown took the lead 6-5 off a Darian Cook goal with 10:18 remaining in the second and then again 9-8 with two consecutive goals from Ryan Aughavin, including a man-up score at the 8:05 mark in the third. Both times they were unable to further capitalize and extend the lead.

McLane led the way for the Brown offense with three goals and two assists for five points. Cook had four points off two goals and two assists.

North Carolina outshot Brown 48-38 and won the ground ball battle 41-24. The Tar Heels also held the Bears to 22-for-26 in the clearing game whole going 17-for-20 themselves.

Brendan Nichtern Joins The 200 Club as Army West Point Tops Siena

The Siena Saints provided a first-half scare against the Army Black Knights on Wednesday evening as things were all knotted up, 4-4, at Michie Stadium at the break. Dylan Pape went 8-for-10 (80%) at the dot during the first two quarters of play and Chris Yanchoris made 11 saves to help provide a spark for the Saints.

While Jack Erb put Siena up by one early in the third, Army soon found their bearings once again. An eight-goal Black Knights run, which included four straight from Reese Burek (three of which were assisted by Brendan Nichtern), helped Army take control and spring ahead 14-6 heading into the fourth. A four-goal Black Nights run in the fourth quarter effectively put this one to bed and helped them secure the 20-10 victory.

Brendan Nichtern had himself a career day, tallying a career-best 10 points off three goals and seven assists. Nichtern’s performance saw him surpass 200 career points, becoming one of just six players in West Point history to reach that milestone. Resse Burek’s four goals, as well as one assist, gave him a second-best five points on the day.

Wyatt Schupler made 16 saves on the day to anchor the Army defense. The trio of Will Coletti, Stevie Grabher, and Ethan Barangan went a combined 17-for-24 (70%) at the faceoff dot in the second half.

Jack Kiernan led Siena with four goals. Chris Yanchoris ended with 16 saves.